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Mason jars as wedding decor is a popular trend among brides. They are most desired among brides who love the rustic wedding themes and new vintage themes which also seem to be trending.

Here are a few top ways to incorporate mason jars in your wedding:

Photo by Sara Kelly Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

Mason Jars can be a fun DIY project you can work on with your bridesmaids, or family members. Mason jars are a great way to save, as they can be picked up at local craft stores, or online in bulk.

They can add a little bit of creativity to your wedding. It’s amazing how many ways mason jars can be used for beautiful decor at your wedding!

Use them at your ceremony or your reception, or both. They can be used at your ceremony or reception to light the aisle or room with candles, or to decorate the aisle or tables with flowers on fish hooks or hanging from ribbon.

The most obvious choice is to use them as a vase, especially at the end of the aisle. But they work great for candles or for straws.

Photo Credit: Gwendolyn Pellegrino Photography

Mason jars as wedding decor provide countless options for every couple. Down The Aisle has endless suggestions on our Pinterest board, check them out!

Weddings are becoming more than just a ceremony by which couples officially exchange vows; they are a way for a couple to share their story, their personality, and their personal style. With daily inspiration from a multitude of sources, it can be difficult to incorporate details that are unique to your personality. So with that in mind, Down The Aisle is here to bring a subtle way to spice up your outdoor ceremony seating that won’t cause visual or inspiration overload.

Suggestions for Outdoor Wedding Ceremony Seating Layouts:

The ceremony layout is a big part of the overall wedding decor that often doesn’t garner enough attention, especially since many brides opt for a wedding held in a chapel (where layout cannot be rearranged) or go for the traditional, evenly spaced rows of chairs. However, there are many alternative wedding ceremony layouts.

Here are a few ideas and details to consider:

Number of Guests

When looking for an alternative wedding ceremony layout option, it is always important to keep the number of guests and, therefore, seating in mind. Intimate, cozier seating works perfect for a smaller ceremony.

Photo By Britt Nielsen|Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

Location & Sound

A common problem that guests complain about at weddings is unable to hear the exchange of vows. Believe it or not, guests do want to hear what is said and share the special moments of your ceremony. The inability to hear truly dampens the whole experience. So when considering an alternative wedding ceremony layout, consider your environment and check for placements that may decrease the chances of sound carrying. A circular arrangement can help improve sound issues and stand out for their gorgeous look.

View

The view is also a major concern for guests, and your photographer. It’s important to be aware of the sight line of each guest and especially of how the aisle may or may not limit the ability of your photographer to capture great photos. The layout to avoid? Anything with a column, pole, or even a huge flower arrangement will ruin the view (and photos).

Photo by Illuminance | Attribution-2.0-Generic (CC-BY-2.0)

Wedding Party Size

When there is a large wedding party to consider, it may be difficult to opt for a more close and intimate chair arrangement without crowding. For a smaller wedding party, almost any outdoor wedding ceremony seating layout is possible, but for a larger group, a semi-circle or traditional formation may be more ideal.

The Budget. It’s Painstaking. It’s no secret, that one of the most stressful steps is the wedding budget planning. If composing it weren’t challenging enough, then there’s sticking to it. Most likely, you’ve never had to sit and ponder a cost to feed 100 people. Or how to gauge the invitation envelope to be “lighter” to be mailed at a lower expense.

When working with couples, we always recommend that the planning process should begin with the budget.

I know, not as fun and “pretty” as sitting for hours pouring over Pinterest. But wedding budget planning is difficult, and many choices that you make will of course affect your overall cost.

Expert Planner Secret #1: Have A Separate Account

Open a separate “wedding fund” checking or savings account. This not only streamlines the process, but also makes it easier to track what is available, and what is being spent. Plus, you can have both yourself and your fiancé’s name jointly on the account. After marriage, can have an already established account that just needs to have a name change (if applicable).

Expert Planner Secret #2: Discuss Ahead Of Time Who’s Paying For What

Tradition states that it is the bride’s family who should pay for the wedding; however, this is no longer the expectation. Today, contributions towards the wedding come from many different sources, but don’t just expect it to be this way. We worked with a bride who “thought” her mother was handling the centerpieces, only to realize that was not the case, and we had to choose another path for the centerpieces—thankfully with us on her side, we caught this early-on, and were able to-work the budget to compensate. I know it’s a tender topic, but you will really need to have this financial discussion with your family members, and more precisely, spell-it-out on a spreadsheet who is contributing for what.

Personalized Wedding Budget by Down The Aisle

Expert Planner Secret #3: Don’t Follow The Magazine’s Budget Advice

I hate to be the bearer of this, but please don’t follow those “pie-charts” or lists from the wedding magazines that advise allotting a certain amount or percentage for your wedding budget planning. Not only are they not realistic, but they aren’t specific to the region that you’re planning in, nor are they compensating for the time of year or day of the week, i.e., a Friday , Sunday or even a weekday wedding will be less expensive.

Expert Planner Secret #4: Stay True To Yourself

Focus your wedding budget planning around the things that matter most to you, and you’ll never go wrong. Don’t feel bad if you don’t have a fortune to spend on your wedding—leave the extravagance to the celebrities, and infuse your celebration with creativity and simplicity that represent your personal togetherness. This not only alleviates a lot of stress in the wedding planning budget, but we apply this with our couples, and all of them report post-wedding how “wowed” their guests were, from the most simplest of things. Trust me, your guests will remember a hand-written personal note, a DIY-crafted cake topper, or a well-crafted speech over any lavish floral display.

A wedding is not only a celebration, but it is an experience to be lived and enjoyed. It is not possible to have the day you envision just by selecting the “cheapest” service professionals. Ask friends, family or co-coworkers for recommendations, or consider working with a wedding planner who is skilled in knowing the a variety of wedding professionals who are competent within your budget;not only are they familiar with the regional demographic, they can help you in deciding on your priorities so that you don’t overspend in one area, and not have enough in another area.

Remember: focus the wedding budget around the things that matter most to you. Does planning the wedding budget overwhelm and keep you up at night, not knowing what things cost, or how to compose a budget. Look no further, we can help!

Don’t let this title let you think otherwise — we do love many of the classic wedding traditions, but we’re of the opinion that a couple should have their wedding day their way. So, if the bride and groom feel uncomfortable with the sometimes awkward (and, at worst, cheesy) traditions and superstitions that have become a mainstay for weddings throughout the years, like the garter removal and toss, the bouquet toss, the cake cutting, etc., then we think it’s A-okay to skip these ceremonial add-ons.

In fact, a lot of professionals and brides alike now share the opinion that many of these traditions of old have had their time and should be skipped if the couple of honor feel so inclined. And, if you’re worried about what your guests might think — don’t. Although they aren’t likely to admit it, most guests will welcome the absence, especially the single ladies and gents that get put on the spot.

So, if the idea of including any of these next 7 wedding traditions into your big day makes you feel uneasy or don’t really fit into the vision you have for your dream day, skip them. Oh, and don’t forget that you can pick and choose — keep the traditions you love and toss out the ones you don’t.

1. The Bouquet Toss

Not only does this wedding tradition put all your single friends on the spot, many feel awkward about gathering into a group and competing with other women for your flying bouquet. If you want to spare the single ladies in your life, skip it altogether or include come up with a plan to include all your female guests. Our favorite alternative is gifting your bouquet to the couple in the room who has been married for the longest amount of time or providing every woman in the room with a single stem flower.

2. The Garter Toss

The garter toss is probably the most awkward of all wedding traditions, especially the part when the groom sticks his head under the bride’s dress to remove to garter. If you want to avoid potential embarrassment for you and your guests, go ahead and leave it out of your plans. The single men in the room definitely won’t mind.

3. The Cake Cutting

Cutting the wedding cake as a couple isn’t all that weird, but if you’re just not keen on the idea of including the tradition in your day, don’t feel like you have to. A fun alternative is to have the parents of the bride and the parents of the groom cut the cake instead. Or, if you don’t want to make a big deal about the cake at all, simply have your caterer cut and serve, do cupcakes instead, or you can always have just a photo of the two of you “cutting” the cake, but there’s no announcing of it. As long as there is cake or plenty of desserts, your guests won’t complain at all.

Photo by Neil Landino Photography

4. Having a Bride’s Side & Groom’s Side

Tradition states that the groom’s family is seated on the “right” while the bride’s is on the “left”. Why not shake things up (no one’s going to notice!) by having ushers escort guests to a “seat, not a side”, or have a cute sign to advise the guests?

5. Female-Only Bridal Party & Male-Only Groom Party

Although the bride’s wedding party usually consists of female-only bridesmaids and the groom’s wedding party usually consists of all-make groomsmen, this tradition is becoming less and less standard for modern brides and grooms. If you’ve got a guy bestie you want to include on your side, go for it! If he wants to include his sister on his side, don’t hold back! There’s no reason that the perspective “parties” have to be divvied up by gender, and we encourage you to do what works best for you, regardless of what others might think.

6. Not Seeing One Another Before The Ceremony

Over the past few years, we’ve seen many couples choose to forgo not seeing each other before the ceremony, and instead having a “first look”, where (often in private) you see each other for the first time, before the actual nuptials. We’ve seen parents/Dads too, join in this fun (new) tradition. Coming up with a creative way and place to meet each other, of course with your hired photographer ready to go, is half the fun!

7. Wedding Favors For Guests

Wedding favors are a wonderful way to thank your guests for joining you on your big day, but there are many ways show your appreciation without spending a small fortune on traditional wedding favors that your guests may never use. Send-off snacks or making a donation in your guests’ honor works just as well. Or, if your budget can’t handle any more strain, let your cake be the favor instead.

Well, brides-to-be, what wedding traditions will you be leaving off your timeline? Share below or contact us for more tips about alternative solutions!

Unity and blessing ceremonies are a hugely popular detail in the modern weddings we see today. However, after so many unity candle and sand ceremonies, the idea can seem overused and lose its unique quality. Sure, there are many other types of ceremonies that you can incorporate into your wedding ceremony, and they have their merits. And yes, there is usually something out there to fit the personality and style of each and every couple. So to mix things up a bit, we suggest trying a ring warming ceremony. If you are wondering what exactly that may be, let us explain. The idea is pretty simple really. Someone, usually the wedding officiant, makes a statement at the beginning of the wedding ceremony explaining that the wedding rings will be passed around to each guest and extends an invitation for each and every person present to hold the rings for a moment and send good thoughts, prayers, or wishes to the bride and groom for their marriage. With each and every person present having the opportunity to share in your joy and become an important part of your love, the ring warming ceremony is truly a beautiful and intimate detail to include. However, there are downsides to the ring warming ceremony. For example, couples are often afraid that the rings will be dropped while they are being passed around and sometimes it can take way too long for the rings to make it to each person before the ring exchange needs to happen. So how do you solve these problems? To avoid the traumatic and embarrassing “ring drop,” couples often tie the rings to a string, a pillow or box. This takes out all the risk of a mass ring search during the middle of the ceremony and adds another cute detail to this special moment. When it comes to the other potential faux pas, the answer isn’t such a quick fix. You can either leave out the ring warming ceremony if you are hosting a very large wedding or include it in another way. These days, many couples who decide to hold a ring warming ceremony often ask the guests to warm the rings before the ceremony even begins by displaying the rings near the guest book or at a ring warming station with an explanation for their display. The decision is up to you, but the sentimentality of the ceremony is a detail that we can’t get enough of these days! Check out some photos below!

Looking for that one last detail to take your summer wedding to perfection? Then look no further because we’ve got you covered!
Nothing makes us think of summer more than fresh flowers and pops of vibrant, fresh fruit, so why not incorporate both into your wedding bouquet and rock a fabulous fruit bouquet? These fruit bouquets are not only deliciously gorgeous, they are eco and budget friendly as well.

We absolutely love the idea of having fruit slices mixed in with the whole pieces in your fruit bouquet! This allows you to take advantage of the nice texture of fruit inside and out! The insides of those lemons look almost like flowers themselves, but with a surprising pop.

Flickr Photo by Lianne Nichols (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Oh, and did we mention that it makes your bouquet smell even more awesome? The combination of the fruits and the flowers is heavenly.

Having an outdoor ceremony means there are many ways to personalize your wedding day, but there are also many limitations. taking your first dance as Mr. and Mrs. along a garden or under the moonlight, or you’ll need to follow these 5 important considerations when having an outdoor wedding.

#1 Do This First – Compile Your Guest List Before Choosing Your Venue

One of the most important choices you will make when it comes to your wedding, is where will the wedding celebration take place…Beach? Swanky restaurant? Ball Room? Garden? Each venue location has its share of personality, décor limitations, and logistics, especially when having an outdoor wedding. The amount of guests you are inviting really has the greatest impact in determining where you will have the wedding so before you run-out to have a site tour of your dream-location, consider how many guests would be in attendance first. Having a guest list of 200-plus will not work at an intimate, cozy barn or ranch that can only hold 120 guests. Don’t decide on your location without first considering your guest list.

Outdoor Winery Ceremony | DOC by Down The Aisle

#2 The Outdoors May Be More Tricky To “Keep It Simple” As You Think

Saying “I Do” in the great outdoors is one of the most romantic ways to unite your love. Unlike houses of worship, the outdoors lend itself to the natural surrounding beauty. Parks, lighthouses, botanical gardens, historic mansions/estates, beaches and other outdoor venues are charming, but can have their limitations in terms of flow, symmetry, and access. Is the area that you’re considering flat or sloped? Will you have sufficient heating or cooling to keep comfortable? Will your guests be able to park close-enough to the site? I recall one client who said to me “I just want a simple, beach wedding”. Well, beaches in general, have one of the most difficult regulations and logistics—some don’t allow glass or liquor, garbage disposal may be an issue, parking is not always easy, and keeping guests out of the hot sun and keeping them cool make it challenging. Also keep in mind that with places that are open to the public, it may be difficult to maintain an appropriate perimeter and you will need to keep this in mind when determining your comfort level. Be prepared for beachcombers (beach weddings), people walking their dogs (or them running off their leashes), casual onlookers that will stop to watch your wedding ceremony. This happens all the time in parks, and there is nothing that we can do—as wedding coordinators—to ask them to leave, they have a right to be there. There’s also noise from traffic, surrounding recreation, and of course, pesky insects. No matter what you decide,you will also need to consider restrooms—that you have enough and that they’re within close proximity.

#3 Make Sure Your Big Day Beauty Can Withstand The Big Outdoors

Us ladies know that reapplying lip balm or lipstick is really no biggie, even when you’re the bride (we promise!). But worrying if your bridal look will stand up to the steep stress Mother Nature can dish out (notice I didn’t say your mother-in-law), is something that can be reduced with a little pre-planning. No bride should have to endure limp hair or frazzled ends, or worry if her skin’s glow is starting to look chalky at the days’ end. Things are much different in terms of planning for your beauty look, if you’ll be spending the majority of your wedding day outside. Instead of just pointing to your Pinterest board on a certain look you’re going after, be sure to disclose and discuss your plans for an outdoor wedding when speaking with your hairstylist and make-up team…and we’ve got your back! My two personal favs (both without parabens!), Urban Decay’s All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray and Josie Maran’s Pure Argan Oil are stashed in our “day-of emergency bag”, ready to combat any of the ladies’ droopy makeup or to smooth any wiry strands.

#4 Electricity—The Unglamorous Forgotten Detail

Remember 2013’s “Big Game” XLVII ‘s electrical power outage at the New Orleans Superdome which delayed a half hour of the game? Well even if you can’t remember, just know it can happen at your wedding. And here’s another tidbit: just because a venue location has a power source available, it doesn’t mean that the total amount of power is usable, nor does it mean just because you can plug into it, that you’re able to power it—there needs to be a “buffer” so that a risk of tripping the breakers is kept to a minimum. Indoors there’s usually no problem, but bringing everything outside could be complicated. Be sure to inquire on the electrical source at your site.

#5 Avoid Outdoor Wedding Mishaps With The Assistance Of A Wedding Planning Team

The stakes are always high when there’s a large group of people celebrating outdoors, and the bride and groom are spending a small fortune to make it happen. Don’t get blinded by all the glamorous “pretty” details and forgo the important logistics, permits, equipment and clean-up needed.

Our team has personally worked through our share of inclement weather (a snow storm in October comes to mind, as well as two hurricanes) so we know how to aesthetically plan for inclement weather, and we’ve also become quite “electrical savvy”. With clients who chose an at-home wedding or a raw historic location, we usually look-into redundant backup generators (two generators that run simultaneously, but if one fails, the other picks up the load allowing for no outage) or a standard generator with a transfer switch. We also discuss the electrical power supply situation with the band or DJ to avoid any electrical mishaps.

Another way we’ve helped our couples with preparing for inclement weather is by offering “tent insurance” via a third party tent rental company. With (usually) a half-up front deposit to reserve the tent, the tent is held on reserve, but only installed and set-up last minute, with the remaining balance due that day if it’s needed due to inclement weather. We’ve also had fans, heaters or lighting on standby so guests can remain comfortable and be able to see, should the power go out. A skilled coordinator can also augment your venue’s onsite coordinator with your “Plan B” alternative indoor location should your outdoor one become unavailable.

Don’t just Pin your dreams, pursue them with us. Reach out to us anytime on ways we can help at your outdoor wedding site!
Cheers,

There’s plenty to rave about in 2016’s wedding trends, from the smaller, more intimate affair to metalics, to the “reveal it (almost) all” wedding gown. Down The Aisle shares the Top 5 Wedding Trends For 2016:

1. Metalics–Bright-colored combinations paired with splashes of metalics are the big hit on the runway and in décor. While we’re still seeing Gold and Silver as top choices for metalics, we’ve also noticed Rose Gold—even on the bride’s ring finger—making its way towards the wedding design theme. Elements such as glittered vases and table runners as well as chairs, plates, cutlery, and table legs are areas we’re seeing the metalics, which can simultaneously add a hint of glam and warmth to the details.

2. The See Through Trend –It’s on the red carpet and now it’s made its way to the wedding aisle. Cut outs and lace designs that showcase a peek of revealing skin. Grab the fashion tape, because whether it’s done tastefully or to shock, the see-through trend has arrived.

3.Long Tables –Especially popular with barn weddings, the long reception table versus a round table is trending. Long tables are not only a remarkable way to play-up your space, they’re unexpected, and give guests that “family tradition” feeling. Use one continuous long table to really transform your space, especially outdoors!

Flickr Photo by Andy (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

4. Smaller Weddings – A large 150+ guest list has been declining while the trend has moved to a smaller guest list. Don’t misunderstand—going “smaller” doesn’t mean that you’re going “informal”, or that the details and personalization no longer matter, it’s that having a smaller wedding allows for more time mingling and socializing with guests. Many of our couples are even opting for a longer cocktail hour to allow for meaningful socializing and spending time with their loved ones before hitting the dance floor. Couples are also realizing that having a smaller guest count, means that there’s more wiggle room in the budget to hire better-quality wedding pros—always worth the investment in our eyes.

5. Braids Are In, Jewelry Is Out –Since roughly 90 percent of brides choose strapless, jewelry has become the obvious “norm” with regard to enhancing a neckline. Not anymore. Tousled one-sided braids and intricate braid chignons are all the rage. While pearls are still a common tradition with brides, some are skipping jewelry altogether to allow the focus on the bride’s showstopping hair, while nails and make-up remain neutral and subtle.

Flickr Photo by Wicker Paradise (CC 2.0)

Want to incorporate some of these trends in your wedding day to elevate it to the next level? We’ll help connect you in the right direction, reach out to us for a chat!

But now you’ve asked your friend/relative/colleague to be a part of your wedding party, she accepts, but then has a change of heart. It is heartbreaking. While tradition (wayyy back) dictated that only illness or a death in the family would be the sole reason for reneging on being a bridesmaid, we all know today is much different than days from the past. Someone may relinquish from wanting to be a bridesmaid due to pregnancy, a critical business-trip, school demands or family issues. Or perhaps a jealous maid. Or maybe she only accepted because you were in her wedding. With our current bride’s dilemma, this particular bridesmaid just didn’t understand the financial commitment being a bridesmaid entails.

Our professional on whether or not to replace her or not is this:

If the situation has happened very early-on, then there is no harm in asking another person to step-in, someone who may not have even known they weren’t chosen in the first place. If the ex-bridesmaid creates more drama or has “let the cat out of the bag”, you could still ask someone else, explain what has happened, and as a nice gesture, offer to absorb the costs associated.

However if the planning is well under way or the bridesmaid backed out last minute, it’s best to carry on without that attendant—you wouldn’t want to offend someone by asking them in the eleventh hour. Just be sure your programs, table seating cards, and processional are all up to par with the change.

Give us a holler, we’d love to help you solve your wedding woes, or get you started on the right path.

Since the Victorian times, brides have chosen to mark their special day by carrying flowers. Choosing Wedding Flowers is one of the most exciting yet daunting tasks of the wedding planning experience, as there are hundreds of gorgeous blooms to pick from, which can quickly add up. But if flowers are used sparingly, you can actually save on your Flower tab. We can help in choosing wedding flowers with these 5 tips that every bride should know to keep it affordable:

1) DON’T Use Florals In Your Centerpieces – Sounds counterintuitive, right? But you don’t need to use a main floral display for your centerpiece. Why not instead place individual flowers or a small grouping of flowers in other areas? Add visual interest in non-traditional areas by placing a flower at every guest’s plate, at empty corners of the room, or at the bar.

Floral Design Credit: The Harwinton Florist

2. It’s Not The Size Of The Container… –Be it a vase, planter, or tea cup, it’s not the size of the container that affects the price when choosing wedding flowers, it’s the size of its opening at the top of the container and the number of flowers needed to fill it. Using a variety of smaller-necked containers (votive candle holders, shot glasses, candle sticks,), your florist can work individual holders into a pattern of densely-grouped flowers for more impact on less of a budget.

3.Share Your Florals With Another Bride – Is there a ceremony or reception taking place either before or after yours? Why not speak with the site’s coordinator about obtaining the other bride’s contact info, and discuss ways to share the expense. Some of our brides have done this by incorporating the sharing of the florals on areas such as the arches, altars, pews or ceremony chairs, the bars, or other common areas.

Ceremony Arch at The Riverview | Floral Design by The Harwinton Florist

4. Accessorizing With Flowers In The Hair – Forget expensive veils or headpieces (which will run $100+), opt instead for a few fresh blooms in your hair. This can easily be a DIY project by individually wiring a few flower heads or individual heads onto a comb or bobby-pin clip, and then have your hairdresser pin them in your hair.

5. Something Other Than A Flower – Think outside the traditional bouquet, and go for paper flowers, silks, or other design elements such as feathers or ferns!

Whichever way you decide—whether florals will be front and center, or just an accessory—your flowers will be central to your day, and will symbolize hope, love and joy for your future together! Need more help in ways to keep your florals affordable or finding the right florist to work with? We’d love to chat, we have hourly appointments available too! – find out more here.